Raven Ashcroft had only been an adventurer for three weeks.
Yet her name was already spreading through the guild.
She was twenty years old, dressed almost entirely in black, moving through missions like a whisper. Where others relied on brute force or magic, Raven relied on speed—precise, merciless speed. Her blades struck before her enemies even realized she was there.
She was not stronger than Myung-Hee.
But she was faster.
Much faster.
That was why she survived.
On that day, Raven was alone on a reconnaissance mission near the ruined outskirts of a forgotten village. The guild had received reports of strange movements—too organized for monsters, too quiet for demons.
Raven crouched atop a broken roof, her breathing shallow, her presence completely erased.
Then—
She saw them.
Demons.
Not monsters.
A small group emerged from a fractured rift in the air, their forms warped but deliberate. They spoke in hushed voices, unaware they were being watched.
Raven did not move.
She listened.
"…The crystal is working," one demon muttered. "The God of Chaos's power flows endlessly."
Raven's eyes narrowed.
"Then the Demon King was right," another said. "As long as the crystal exists, monsters will never stop appearing."
Crystal?
Raven felt a chill crawl down her spine.
"The hero keeps killing them," a third demon snarled. "But it doesn't matter. She can't stop the source."
"The Demon King will not act yet," the first replied. "He waits until the world collapses under its own weight."
Raven finally understood.
This was why the Demon King had gone silent.
This was why monsters never stopped appearing.
She did not attack.
She did not intervene.
She retreated.
By the time Raven returned to the Adventurer Guild, night had already fallen. She moved straight through the corridors, ignoring the curious glances of other adventurers, until she reached the command room.
Myung-Hee and Lulu were already there, reviewing reports.
"We need to talk," Raven said.
Myung-Hee looked up immediately. "What did you find?"
Raven closed the door behind her and spoke without hesitation.
"I overheard demons talking," she said. "They weren't guessing. They were confident."
She explained everything—the crystal, the God of Chaos's power, the endless creation of monsters.
When she finished, silence filled the room.
Lulu slowly clenched her hands. "…So that's why."
Myung-Hee lowered her gaze.
"So the Demon King never disappeared," she said quietly. "He just changed tactics."
"He's letting the world exhaust itself," Raven added. "If the kingdom collapses from monster attacks, he won't even need to fight."
Myung-Hee exhaled sharply.
"That explains everything," she said. "The six wars. His retreats. The silence."
Lulu looked toward the palace tower in the distance. "The Priestess knew."
"She always does," Myung-Hee replied.
Raven studied them both. "So what happens now?"
Myung-Hee straightened, her expression hardening.
"Now we stop the source."
The following morning, Myung-Hee stood before the guild.
Raven watched from the shadows as the Guild Master addressed dozens of adventurers—some nervous, some eager, all unaware of the true scale of the disaster looming ahead.
"The monsters will not stop," Myung-Hee said. "But that does not mean we retreat."
Her voice carried authority forged through countless battles.
"We will investigate their origin. We will destroy whatever is creating them. And we will not give the Demon King the collapse he desires."
The adventurers roared in response.
Raven felt something unfamiliar stir in her chest.
Resolve.
Later that day, Myung-Hee summoned Raven privately.
"You took a risk coming back with that information," Myung-Hee said. "You could have died."
Raven shrugged. "Speed keeps me alive."
Myung-Hee studied her for a moment. "You're different from the others."
Raven met her gaze. "So are you."
A faint smile crossed Myung-Hee's face.
"You'll work directly under me from now on," she said. "Reconnaissance and infiltration."
Raven nodded. "Understood."
As Raven left the room, Lulu turned to Myung-Hee.
"The crystal," Lulu said. "If it truly uses the power of a God of Chaos…"
"…Then destroying it won't be simple," Myung-Hee finished.
Far above them, unseen and silent, The Priestess watched.
Her veil concealed her eyes, but her posture remained calm—unchanged.
"The pieces are moving," she murmured.
The Demon King was no longer the only threat.
And the true disaster—
Had only just begun.